Squier Classic Vibe vs Fender Player: Does it Really Make a Difference?
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- This is a deep-dive comparison between the Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster and the Fender Player Series Stratocaster (made in Mexico). Should you buy the Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster or the Fender Player Series? What are the main differences between Squier and Fender and where are they similar? This video will hopefully answer all the FAQs I see come in regarding these two great electric guitars.
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Video Chapters
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0:00 - About
0:14 - Unboxing & First Impressions
2:16 - Clean Tone Comparison
3:30 - Weight
3:52 - Similarities & Differences
5:06 - Dirty Tone Comparison
6:43 - Pickups (Squier vs Fender)
7:19 - 5-Way Toggle (Squier Wins)
7:52 - Tremolo System Compared
8:17 - Fit and Finish
8:45 - Tuners and Tuning Reliability
9:21 - Squier vs Fender - Which is best?
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#intheblues #squier #stratocaster @fender
I'd love to hear which one you like best and why and if there's any actual difference in the tone to your ears? Feel wise, they are both nice. Check the timestamps below for video sections if need be. Thanks for watching. 🙏
0:00 - About
0:14 - Unboxing & First Impressions
2:16 - Clean Tone Comparison
3:30 - Weight
3:52 - Similarities & Differences
5:06 - Dirty Tone Comparison
6:43 - Pickups (Squier vs Fender)
7:19 - 5-Way Toggle (Squier Wins)
7:52 - Tremolo System Compared
8:17 - Fit and Finish
8:45 - Tuners and Tuning Reliability
9:21 - Squier vs Fender - Which is best?
Check out the guitars here:
🛒 Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/BXVQDB
🛒 Guitar Center - guitar-center.pxf.io/ORvJ6Z
🛒 Thomann - bit.ly/3ioaLLr
🛒 Sky Music - alnk.to/8tK25hU
Thanks to Sky Music for the loan of these guitars.
(affiliate links)
Yes.
i would’ve got the players fender strat if i hadn’t seen the schector NJ HSS first but i’d take the players strat over the squire just because you get a 22 fret neck and better hardware and electronics,having said that the schector is way better and more versatile than any fender i’ve ever owned,from blues to fusion to 80’s metal and back
other than the neck pickup, i didn't hear a ton of difference. However i like a fatter fret wire and that orange is rockin. Thank you Shane for doing a southpaw shoot out, i really appreciate it. Cheers!!
One thing to note is the Classic Vibe comes with a real bone nut which is cut much better than the cheap ass plastic "synthetic bone" on the Mexican Fenders. I paid a premium £1,1100 GBP for one of the Ed O'Brien Sustainer strats and it's an amazing guitar but I had to change the nut for a TUSQ graphtec nut within days as it just would not stay in tune. I contacted Fender and they suggested I use nut lubricant (thanks Fender) which is simply not acceptable in 2022. Such a pity as it's a great guitar and in talking to others I've heard similar quality control issues with some Mexican strats. My two classic vibes - tele and strat - have been no trouble at all straight out of the box. Guess the Chinese are making better guitars these days.
@@martin-1965 You paid £11K? MUST have been Custom Shop!
Got my Player Strat, when they were $649. Got it new, on sale for $549. I'm very happy.
They've got their pros and cons. I've owned both and can definitely say the CV is built every bit as nice as the Player Series. The Player series sounded better and I preferred the neck on it, but I prefer the bridge and tuners on the CV. One thing I noticed though, eventually the Player Series developed fret sprout. The CV did not.
100% agree! My frets on my player tele have done the same but its still a great guitar.
Love your videos! I honestly couldn't tell a sonic difference through my headphones. Thanks for posting!
Thank you! One of the many good things of strats is that you can mod them easily. I have a Player strat and, after two years, I replaced the whole pickguard with a pre-loaded fender one with CS Fat 50’s. Now I have a guitar that plays like a dream and has little to envy to much more expensive guitars.
I've had a classic vibe for 10 years and totally love it 😀
Having owned all the Fender model guitars I have to say they Classic Vibe is one of my favorites. I have one that is around 8 years old, never had a set up and played it a lot and still play it and it sounds as good now as it did day one, maybe even a bit better with age. The CV series is one of the best buys you can get!
I have an two American fenders, one Mexican and one Squier. Wanted a Jaguar and was planning on getting the Vintera MIM one. Ended up buying a Classic Vibe instead. Very happy with it.
Since then I’ve also bought the MIM Meteora. Very happy with that too.
I’m no longer pre-judging guitars by where they are made.
Fantastic comparison, Shane. It is good to hear there is great value in the CV Squier model that rivals the MIM fender Strat.
Just bought a classic vibe 60s today. I cannot believe how good it is for the money. I am very happy with it should last me a long time.
Thank you for the review helps me to know I made a good decision.
I have had old MIM Standards, CVs and Player Series. The current CV and Player Series are so close that there's little to choose between the two. I had both at the same time and sold the CV. The only reason was that they sounded so similar but I preferred the bigger frets on the Player Series, so it made no sense to keep both. The CV felt every bit as well built and sounded pretty much identical. It was purely a preference thing.
I have both of these and I far prefer my player series. Feels much more solid. My CV took ages to get set up the way I like it and have now converted it to a single hum bucker! As the stock electrics and pickups don’t come close to the player series stuff imo. Mainly play blues/rock. Player is my main guitar, Now use CV for grunge/harder stuff. Love the channel Shane, keep it up bud 🤟🏻🎸
you always do an excellent job - thanks so much - cheers!
You make both axes sound great Shane. Kudos.
Ok, so after owning both of these guitars i can say with confidence that the overall quality of the player series is definitely better!! 👍
Classic Vibes have never steered me wrong. Definitely a recommendation for beginners and elite players alike.
Have owned 5 of the CV teles both 50& 60 models and absolutely loved all of them. I preferred the 50s version better. I don’t have them anymore because I always gave them to some of my guitar playing patients.
Classing myself as a Beginner Guitarist... I'm happy with both these Guitars as far as Manufacturing Quality, General Specs and overall Quality of Tone.
I have a foot in both camps, owning a 'Fender Player Series Strat and also a Squier Classic Vibe in the form of a 50's Tele.
If I had to choose one... 'I wouldn't'.
Great Video Shane!
I have a Squier CV 50s and I tried but couldn't get 21 frets to work for me. I swapped the neck for an Allparts 22 medium jumbo fret with a 12" radius rosewood fretboard. It's now my fave guitar. Great vid. Cheers!
An enjoyable video - I've got a Squier standard Srat and a Mexican Albert Hammond Jnr. Strat - both completely different in terms of electronics and neck finish, but both with medium jumbo frets. I enjoy playing them both for different reasons and your advice at the end was excellent - whichever one plays best on the day you're trying them out in the shop is the one to choose.
I have a Squier Standard Strat, reckon they are under-rated. I cannot get excited to buy the more expensive CV (with its old school 6 screw tremolo), or the Fender Player (twice the price of the Squier Standard).
The neck is the only difference between the CV and guitars at way, way higher price points. I bought an Am Pro II Telecaster a few months back and it totally underwhelmed me, purely because in my head I'd set the bar so far above my CV Tele due to the huge price difference. I even prefer the CV neck pickup to the Am Pro II!
I also was underwhelmed by the American Pro 2 BUT, the neck on those are the best feeling neck I’ve ever felt. They feel better than a custom shop IMO.
@@mikepj1025 100%, that's the best neck in the industry for me. I've just put one on a Strat build because I'm intending to sell the Tele and can't go without the neck haha.
Nice demo Shane. Thanks. I have 3 strats. A mim Fender, an India VM and a Chinese SE. The fit and finish on the mim is the best, the finish on the VM is almost as good as the mim with the SE behind the VM. All are heavily modded and setup exactly the same. In terms of playability the SE is miles ahead. It just fits me so well and is super comfortable to play especially the neck, it's really nice. Because they are modded and upgraded the guitars sound equally good but the least expensive strat, the Chinese SE, is my favorite to play. It also came from the factory with a AAA flame maple neck that looks great 🤘. I've seen a few other Chinese SEs with flamed necks but not many.
Love my CV Tele and really enjoyed my CV Jazz bass. Their only real weaknesses are their electronics and their necks. The switch on my Tele works but wouldn’t hold up to a rigorous gigging schedule. The necks on both were fantastic in every way except they seemed to require more regular truss rod tweaks. Not sure if the woods are as good/aged, but the frets and finish have been excellent.
Great video mate!
I have the 60s CV strat and the most important things on the guitar for me are the neck (one of the best playing necks I've had) and the pickups (never got caught up in the whole tone woods debate). Let's face it most of us aren't session players or working musicians so our needs are somewhat different. Started playing when I was 15 and I'll be 71 this year. I have played and owned a LOT of guitars. Forget the decal on the headstock go with what feels good in your hands. I have close to 30 guitars (way too many) and my favorites to play are not the most expensive or even MIA. What is the most important thing about your guitar... just play it! It all comes down to personal preference and whatever it is that makes you want to pick up THAT specific guitar and play it. Less talk and more action is what is needed when it comes to playing. ENJOY.
well said!
Cracking solo on the sunburst strat and the orange one. 👍👍👍😊😊
Can see just just by the headstock finish how much Squier have upped their game vs. the Affinity level guitars (which look almost like raw wood). I also have a Chinese and an Indonesian Squier and the Indonesian feels better and also has a couple of interesting touches like the skunk stripe on back of neck vs. bare on the Chinese built one. With a fret polishing and tuner replacement, my Indonesian Strat plays just as nice as the "real" Mexican Fender and the new Squiers look like they've evened up even more right out of the box. Great video and nice playing!
You are my favourite left-handed guitar reviewer.
That orange 🍊 is dope
I really wanna lake placid blue strat.
Probably gonna go for a squire classic vibe. Got a tele from them and it's one of the best guitars I've ever played
I’m a big fan of both guitars. I favour the Fender personally (neck feel, and fret size) tone wise ….. both rock ! The Chinese Classic vibes were in my humble opinion slightly better feeling / had the edge quality wise on the current Classic vibes. BUT you ain’t really going wrong with any of them.
Another great comparison, Shane! That orange body and maple fret board wins it for me. Im glad Fender gave us lefties some cool colors. If only we can get some cool offsets from Mexico instead of the Strats and Teles like we already own.
I've tried a few different ones of these over the past few years. The player series is awesome, I like the 2 point trem way better. But they are basically twice the price. Also, I've found there is a difference in the neck profile depending on the year. The 2019 player strat and CV 60's seemed to have slightly thinner profiles vs the 2022 player and 70's CV that I now have. But maybe it's just individual differences between guitars. I agree with your advice to try them before you buy. Thanks for posting this, great playing!
I agree. I think there is a very noticeable difference with sound and feel. The player series are great. That being said I really liked my CV strat. There is a big difference in price. In my opinion it is well worth it
The Players Series has always felt more refined off the shelf.
I’m thinking of picking up a Polar White one this weekend that’s on sale locally for $599 new. See if I can make that annoying volume knob my friend.
Really nice playing!
Both sound great, it is always worth going to your local brick and mortar shop to try a few and pick the one you click with. If you are handy with a soldering iron you can connect the bridge pickup to the Tone, it works wonderfully to fatten the tone with some drive.
I’ve bought new CV70 a month ago and was surprised that it has bridge tone control
Nice review
I have had the 50s and 70s CV’s, and a white/maple neck player strat, and l really liked all three. That being said, I think there is a very noticeable difference, in tone, between the cv’s and player strats. In my opinion, the player strats are better in every way, but price
I have a Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster, butterscotch blonde and I absolutely love it!
Great review. I may be picking up a player series same color on Wednesday for $650 aud.
Both sounded great to my ears. Having said that, I think I'm leaning slightly more towards the CV.
I have the 50s CV and I was very happy with the build quality
If you’re used to expensive guitars you may notice finish issues on either one but Squier overall build quality is quite good nowadays. The only problem I have personally is the tremolo, so definitely agree with you on that one Shane. At this price point it’s definitely not unique to Squier-you can find some good values but expect to spend some time fixing the rough spots. Just gives me a chance to customize in my opinion.
Do you think either are good options for a gigging guitarist? I'm thinking tuning stability, electronics reliability, etc.
Thanks Shane, Awesome video as always. Thankyou. How many "Strats" have we all got? White? Black? Sunburtst? Fiesta Red? The Black Strat.... Etc etc Etc
I suspect much of the difference comes down to labor and transportation costs.
I recently purchased a Player Strat (polar white) and the neck, trem, pickup heights, and 5 out of 6 strings were all set-up and intonated fine out of the box. I got it at a great price which makes it even better. Not a flaw anywhere, no sharp fret ends, no scratches, dings, or playing or cosmetic issues that I can find. It's really better than I expected, and compares well to my kid's American Professional Strat, both have maple fretboards.
I've owned Squiers in the past, nothing wrong with them, and it's a good way to try different Fender models so you know what you like.
My main Fenders are Jags, I have a Marr, a MIJ and MIM, and had a Squier Jag; each is good for the price I paid, and only sold the Squier since it wasn't needed any longer.
I have a Player Strat, Classic Vibe 70.s Tele Deluxe, and a Classic Vibe Jazz bass. You can’t go wrong with either series. If you’re shopping, try playing both with an open mind (and ears), and let the guitar pick you. I was shopping for an amp when I found my Strat. The finances got a little complicated, but I knew I couldn’t put it back on the wall once I played it.
Do you mean this in terms of gigging too? I really want something with extremely strong tuning stability and reliability for gigging.
Player series all the way. You get the full size pots, 2 point trem and better tuners that you can also drop Fender locking tuners into. Also it's a Fender so it holds more value and just looks better on the headstock imo at least. The Squier is a lot less expensive than the Fender though so if money is a big factor then the Squier is a compelling option.
I don't think you can go wrong with either of them. Classic Vibe sounds exactly like a Strat. For me, the neck is a bit too lacquered and the fretboard radius feels a little flat to me. I have a Fender Player Strat as well and love how it feels and plays. It doesn't sound any different to my ears than the Classic Vibe. I guess the point is if you can't or don't want to spend a lot of money on a guitar, either of these Strats works fantastic.
Good comparison. It’s crazy how the prices on these guitars have skyrocketed. Price on everything skyrocketed but a few short years ago the CV were $299-$349 and the Player series were under $700. Now we are lookin at $500 for the CV and $900 for the Player. Crazy. The Chinese CVs were superior to the news Indonesian ones. I’ve had multiple of each. The only thing I found on the CVs that bothered me was the weight. All the ones I had were very heavy. I still have a CV 50s vintage white blonde Tele that I’ll never part with. It’s a Chinese one and it just as good as any other Tele I’ve had or have.
$500 for the CV? Keep going as they are getting up around the $800 mark now and prices are insane...makes me turn off Fender sometimes....I remember getting a CV for about $400 years ago and at that price, they're great...
I agree. I bought many entry level guitars over the years for fun. And the Chinese ones never had anything wrong with them. The indonesian factories on the other hand ship them barely playable. From bridge problems to massive finish flaws to wiring problems, ground issues or no grounding at all etc.
@@kevinstarofficial o usually had electronic problems with them
after buying one last year, I would advise anyone thinking about buying a gutair to buy the squire CV as you get a great gutair that looks cool and sounds great without paying silly money.
There’s a small clarity difference…you have to own both or spend time playing both to really get a sense of the minute differences. There actually are differences in Stratocasters models. You have to figure out what you truly want in a guitar…
I have 5 Squier Classic Vibe ( 2 50s Tele from China, 2 Tele from indonesia 50s and a Esquire 60s Custom with a neck pickup UNDER of the pickguard) and...more Squier very soon!
I recently got a Squier CV 60s Strat (lake placid blue) and dropped in a set of Fender Pure Vintage 65s i found B-stock for 150$.
So, in total i paid 620$ for the guitar, the pickups, installing them, and having the guitar set-up and new strings on it (got a nice gigbag as well).
I'd say, for that amount of money, there's no other guitar i would have rather bought.
(Keep in mind, the cheapest Fender Player costs 780$ in my country, new, without a gigbag, whereas the CV was 420$ new with a gigbag)
The price point of these guitars are primarily aimed entry level players and those on a small budget. However also very suitable for those seeking additional instruments to compliment main and working guitars. In any of these cases it still comes down to what you play them through. After 50 years of playing and teaching music I’ve seen too many players coming out of the rank beginner stage purchasing better guitars before better amplification. It is not uncommon for someone just a few years into playing a guitar to own two or three electric guitars of decent quality but their amplification is of poor to low quality. The golden rule of the electric guitar must always be considered regardless of how many guitars one owns. ‘The quality of amplification will always defines a guitars true potential’. This review and demo is a great example of two guitars very capable of great tone through good equipment. Excellent work again Shane.
Something to keep in mind...The pre-CBS Fender guitars that everyone covets, were made in the USA by craftspeople primarily of MEXICAN descent! Including those beautifully wound pick-ups.👍🎶🎵🎶🙂
Modern fenders are mostly made by Mexican workers in either the US or Mexico factories. The only reason the USA models are better is because Fender makes them better to differentiate them from MiM guitars. The Ensanda factory is capable of making any guitar the Corona factory is.
You really can’t lose with either the Fender Standard or the Squier Classic Vibe!!! Judging from your playing examples, one could easily create their sound from either guitar. The only main difference is weight. From the three Fender Strats I own, the more expensive it is, the lighter it is. If I needed a Strat (which technically I do because I have no lefty 😄) I would feel completely comfortable buying either one.
I love the Squier! Got an old 2005 Standard that IMO is just as good than my Fenders and you can’t beat the old MIJ 80s!!! I’ll take my Squiers anyway over the $$$$ models🤪🤪🤪 but with that said it does have the Seymour Duncan Little 59s
@@kirkscobey3031 Yes those 80s MIJ/MIK Stratocasters are awesome!!! I had a MIK Strat years ago and I wish I still had it!!!! You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a really good playing Strat (even though I have😆😆😆)!
I have a lefty “Capri Orange” Fender Player Strat. I use the Players as mod platforms to get pickup combinations not easily available as stock in left handed orientation ( they are all routed HSH under the SSS pickguard). I have put two Gibson cream coloured P90 pickups wired to a 3 way toggle switch on the Orange Player. I have also modded a Sunburst Player as an HSH, a White Player modded as an HSS, and a Tidepool Blue Player modded as an HH (all the Humbuckers are Fender Tim Shaw Shawbuckers). The HSH and HSS are both fitted with a 10 position Freeway 5B5-02 switch, the HH has 8 way switching via push pull pots. Upgraded Nuts, Stringtrees and locking tuners on all guitars. Players being Imperial measurements are easier to fit USA wiring and parts than the Metric measured Classic Vibes.
I've got a CV 60 strat and wouldn't part with it. I swapped the tuners for locking ones. Changed the pickguard and pickup covers for black. Also thinking of switching bridge for a rail tail. But love the overall feel of the neck, and sound is bright and punchy. sunburst finish is quality. The player definitely has a thicker, warmer tone with its A5 pick-ups and yes! The orange is snazzy, and I love the maple neck on it. Wish mine had one.
Great video great guitar 🎸 so sounds great audio good show
I hardly ever use the trem so I Claptonised my CV virtually hardtailing it. The improvement in
sustain was awsome. The only thing you cant improve is the headstock decal !
Thanks Shayne, good review as usual. My comments on the two...I think I would be happy with both (yes I'm a lefty!) although the shallow part of me loves that orange! At the end of the day, I prefer the jumbo frets, but to my ear, the Player Strat was warmer sounding both clean and dirty and that suits my style, but the Squire on the back pickup dirty was really nice, cut through without razor blade sounds. I own a 1987 MIJ 1972 Vintage Re-Issue Strat, A made in Mexico Tele, A Squire Affinity Tele, and an Artist Tele, and a few others. They all sound pretty good at the end of the day, the Mexican Tele has the best neck, but the most expensive (Strat) is the most reliable, sounds like a really good Strat (other people's opinions) I believe spending a bit more on the Strat (around $1400 at Concept Music in Perth 1987) makes a difference, there are niggly little things with a cheaper guitar, not so noticeable at a gig, but at home in the studio, that's where I notice it.
I like the narrow tall frets in my Classic Vibe JM. I've been dicking around with a Gretsch Jet with what I think are medium jumbo frets. The difference is noticeable but I still like my narrow talls when I get home to them
Squier should come out with a new line using the classic vibe guitars but offer them with modern finishes like this orange one.
Tasty playing!
Those Classic Vibes are amazing guitars. I have a 60's Tele and a Jazzmaster and I play both more than my higher specced / more expensive guitars...
yeah I have a bunch of "cheaper" guitars and I keep wanting to buy a more expensive one, but after I finally soldered in a new 5-way switch and fixed the shielding, I just can't justify buying an expensive Strat over my CV one. (my CV strat the 5 way switch felt nice but there was always issue when switching to the neck pickup half the time it would be silent, the switch was just bent weird inside so replaced it)
II thought the MIM sounded better than the Classic Vibe which was a little harsh. But, I've a MIM Telecaster and 2x MIM Strats and love them. Some good pickups and a good setup and you never want to put them down.
Who cares about the sound man, let's pay for that headstock! 🎸
Lol...funny how they get away with it with electrics but you can get a $200 Fender parlor acoustic from Indonesia that is awesome
So true. 100% paying for that Fender logo.
🤣🤣🤣
@@xb5883 What about the Frontman 10 amp? 😄
@@voiceofexperience lol I think the Danelectro Honeytone wins for the crap 10 watt amp sound
The differences are only going to matter to a person who has played guitar for a while. I can already think of a major difference, the squire will have a gloss neck, which isn't a big deal but when you're doing lots of slides and you have some sweat on your palm, itl start interfering with your accuracy. But that's only something you know after playing for a bit, a newbie wouldn't really care so much about that. I don't even mind the gloss neck because that's shaving off the price without effecting the electronic parts
I have both of these guitars and I was surprised to find out that the fret work on the Squier was better (Note: I compared a 2018 Fender Player HSS to a 2022 Squier Classic Vibe '60s.). The Fender didn't pass the nylon stocking test. The fret ends on the Squier were perfectly smooth. Otherwise, both are great guitars.
The craftsmanship on squires in general has gone up over the years and the classic vibe seem to have that extra bit of tlc on them but ultimately the pick ups in my opinion just have that extra bit of quality on the mim it’s less noticeable if your running through a pedal rig and all that also I find the tuning pegs better on the mim. I think it comes down to do you want to pay extra for the fender on the headstock all in all the squires for the price are amazing value for money instruments I generally have leaned towards the mim’s in the past but that’s just my experience I get these things all don’t come out identical so like you said it’s on the day really
Hi, what's about electronics? Do they both have volume and tone control "working" only like On/Off? Do they both have righty knobs on lefty guitars?
I also own a bunch of strats. I have also noticed that the biggest complaint I have noticed and heard, about the Player line-up is the weight. Many of them are much heavier than 8 pounds. I have also noticed that the older MIM's were slightly better built. I have no issue with the vintage trem. I have owned a couple Player's strats and Tele's but so far, I haven't found a real keeper.
I also own a CV strat, and have owned several of them. They have all been great from top to bottom, but I really only need one.
Liked the Player series a little more overall. It would be nice if the maple fretboard on the Player was satin finish too - I have a satin finish maple fretboard on my MIJ Hybrid Telecaster and it is really nice to play on especially up high! Just a little thing.
They both sound very good. My ears think the CV is not quite as full as the Players, which to me sounded a little boosted in the midrange. I actually prefer the Squire sound a little better, but they're both very good!
Just replace the block of the cv with a big steel/brass block worth 15 usd.
Is that a left handed guitar? I am having a very hard time to find one. I love all your reviews of those music gears. Very professional and great skills as well.
Yeah I own a Vintage Modified Squier which is the older version and a MIM and the Squier wins hands down. Insane value from it for sure.
I have an old VM body that I customised with a new neck and electronics. I kept the bridge but replaced the saddles with something brass. My only criticism is that it sounds a bit lacking in body compared to my Japanese and US Strats. It's not something that would stop me using it live but I usually leave it hanging on the wall as a guitar to grab when I want to practise.
Own both. Want to say something profound, but you covered it.
Classic Vibes are such a good value, and sound great! I also personally prefer the glossy neck. I do have some slight buzzing issue on the 13-15th frets, but hey, I payed 250€ used for it!
My 2013 CV 60s (tortoise shell pickguard variant) always brings a smile to my face when I take it out of its bag. It's a lovely looking and feeling instrument. I did have it given an overhaul by a luthier a couple of years ago.
It sounds just like a strat should and the neck is very comfortable and it's fun to play.
My 2008 American Standard is a superior instrument in every regard but for some reason it doesn't illicit the same joy from me as the CV strat.
I have more respect for the Am Std and it does sound and play great- the woods used make those strings ring and ring unplugged and amplified. In many ways it's chalk and cheese when they're side to side.
But my CV seems to have something the AmStd is lacking that just makes it a more engaging instrument to me.
Of course every instrument is different just like we are.
We are truly spoilt (even us lefties) today given how well instruments, even modestly priced ones, are now manufactured.
Yep. I've got an '03 Am Std and three CV strats - 2 50s and 1 60s (the better, MIC, first generation). The An Std is great but the CVs have more "character" and are more appealing to me.
This strikes me as a very good review. Most of your remarks are consistent with my impressions; that is I have owned Mexican strats and I have owned a Squier Bullet and a 50's CV. The 50's Classic Vibe was miles away from the Bullet. Interestingly, I feel no compulsion to swap out the pups on the 50's CV when I almost always did so with MM strats. But this is a sonic preference for a more vintage 50's or 60's sound. In the case of the Bullet I did swap out and got the Fender Tex / Mex pups and often got either 57/62 pups or 59 pure vintage for the MM strats.
But I feel no need at all to make any immediate changes of the 50's CV. I love the feel and the sound - and the looks (White Blond) are stunning. Some polishing on the frets have helped a good deal. The neck feel substantial but not too baseball bat-like. For anyone one that wants an awesome strat for 400 or a little less in some shops, I think grabbing one of the 50's CV- especially the White blond - is a good keeper for practicing and taking to lessons or leaving out to stick with it. I use a pro junior and a Custom vibro champ and they both sound great with this strat. One tuber suggested getting a better tremolo block, but I am happy with the hard tail like set up.
The one thing I used to like about the Bullet was that it was that it had a top load hardtail bridge. I would love to have something like that again. The neck was much too thin and toyish.
For me the CV is the winner because it has more sound and tonal character than - for my ears- than the rather vanilla sounding Player. But that - as you say- is a matter of preference.
Many thanks-
I have and really like both. The pickups on the Player are just a bit better than the CV for clarity. I’d play either at any time and place.
Im left too in 30s and have a few guitars. Now i have a vintage v6 and maybe i wanna updgroad a pickups. Amp is a bigger thing in Arsenal. Good speaker on a tube amp than a expensive guitar made a bigger difference
I have a first year CV 60s Stratocaster. (2008). I believe that the first year run was the best of the classic vibe 60s strats. Rosewood fretboard and the bodies were more true in weight and cut. I have a second year run and it’s thinner cut and feels like a toy in comparison..mine was made in China. The first year builds were quite a bit better in my opinion.
….I also have a ‘09 CV Tele 60s model and it is also a great guitar.
FINALLY! I found some review of the left handed guitars by left handed guitar player! Subbed and liked..... bells andall that jazz. Or... In this case bkues.....
I definitely preferred the squier pickups
Great video, but just a tip. Always place your weighing machine on a hard surface - not a rug or carpet that can be compressed. You will consistently measure lower weights placing it on a rug.
You sure about that?
Yes, check out the problem on UA-cam. Think of it like this: imagine that the guitar is lying on a sponge mat (the weighing machine). The mat will be compressed a little. Now imagine adding a second sponge mat underneath the first (the carpet). Both sponge mats will be compressed, but the compression of the first (the weighing machine) will be reduced. Hence the reading on the scale will be lowered. Malcolm MSc,BA.
Hey Shane, Here in the UK Anderton's have a Pallet of ltd edition 50's classic vibe Tele's. Their £342.99. Their 2022 manufactured so their ltd editions made in Squires 40th birthday year aswell. Their this metalic purple colour, really cool. Anyway thought i'd give you the heads up if you didn't know already.
Great video Shane
I might just be unlucky but I had 3 lefty pro 2s sent to me with issues they all had to go back. The Pro 2 Strat in Dark Night looked awesome but it had been wired up wrong in the extra position on the push/push. I think they had followed the righty diagrams. 🤦♂️
I later got a Player Strat in the tidepool blue. It is flawless. And 1/3 of the price. £15 on reverse taper pots, £60 on a set of locking tuners and £40 for a deluxe gig bag. I'm at least £900 better off, well I was until I spent it on a Charvel Pro Mod DK24HH. 🤣 Another fantastic MIM guitar and a fine example of 2 for the price of 1.
I love all 3 of my American Professional II Strats SSS and HSS, and am not trying to be confrontational in the least when I make this comment...Do you think part of the problems you've experienced are because you are a lefty and, as you stated, they just wired them like for the right-hand version?? If the Dark Night had been wired correctly?? Do you think you would you have been happy with it? I did take note that you also had to mod the Player to conform to Lefty standards (Which I think SUCKS!!! One of the reasons I do most of what I do right-handed is because the world is made for Righty's. The other is, in my father's last years he finally admitted that every time I tried to do anything left-handed, which was natural for me, he and my mother both immediately took the pencil, crayon, fork, you get the idea, out of my left hand and made me use my right hand. I'm in my mid-70's, so it was definitely a different era, logic, and thought process than the way most here have been raised.). I'm just wondering what your opinion would have been if the Dark Night had been wired correctly.
Hi@@lostreb thanks for chipping in. I don't consider you comments in anyway confrontational
I'm 100% sure it's because I'm a lefty. I just don't think that they get the same QC at the factory or the dealers. I mean they probably get tested but not handled as much and actually play tested if that makes sense.
I would have kept the Dark Night, the fault was not the pots as one of the attractions of the Pro 2 is fender are using reverse taper pots in the lefties. The issue was the extra pick up configs with the push/push pot in the up position didn't match the spec at all, I had no neck and bridge, no all 3 on. This was the last of the 3 guitars so it was at that point I reached the end of my tether with the range.
The other 2 were Jazzmasters. The 1st was the sunburst and a right reject, that arrived with the fretboard so dry it looked like mouldy chocolate and there were actual cracks along the edge of the board. The volume and tone knob screw holes were all chewed up like someone had used an oversized driver (or a spoon) to install them. Plus the action of the push/push switch was in in reverse, when up it was doing what it should have been when down and vise versa.
Next I get another JM, beautiful looking Miami Blue, which had faulty wiring in the rhythm circuit. The sound would cut out unless I applied pressure to the pickguard. I was happy for the dealer to repair it but it was s faulty part they said it needed to go back to Fender. That's when I went for the Dark Night Strat.
So after 3 guitars from 2 separate dealers I was done. (For now at least)
I did write a reasoned account to Fender, who apologised but effectively blamed the dealers. So the compound effect of multiple failures and the lack of contrition or ownership of the problem from Fender, I'm left not wanting to invest to heavily in the brand.
Had I bought the Dark Night 1st would I have sent it back for the dealer to rewire or even done it myself?, quite probably yes.
It's an odd thing with pots in lefty guitars. There are generally 3 ways different manufacturers do it.
1st and most common they use standard logarithmic pots, wire them so the direction of the rotation is correct (roll up for louder/down for quieter) this unfortunate puts the more aggressive part of the taper between 1-2 and the pot feels like an on off switch.
2nd some use standard logarithmic pots, wired so the taper is correct but the rotation is then backwards (roll down to turn up, roll up to turn down) Gibson, Eastman, Gordon Smith, wire lefties like this.
3rd some use reverse or antilog pots which are correct for lefties. Taper and rotation. Suhr, Fender pro2/ultra/custom shop.
It is frustrating being a lefty in a righty world sometimes. Can openers, scissors, ergonomic mouse and PC gaming keyboards Lol. I bought a new car last year I thought the fuel tank fill point was broken as I couldn't get the pump nozzle in fully, it's just angled to accept the nozzle from the right hand side.
I don't mind being a lefty in general, in fact when it comes to guitars I would probably be bankrupt if I had the choices right handed players have. Plus I'm pretty good at soldering/modifying now and I have never had any issue with the concept of buying blind, due to the general lack of availability in stores.
I'm mid 50s now so didn't get pushed to be right handed. Has your experience resulted in you being able to use both left a right equally.
@@jeffroq First, thank you for the detailed information in your reply to my comment. I did not expect it. And, I do appreciate you detailing the major disappointments from Fender with their QC for Lefty's. I'm really disappointed the Push-Push was not working properly for your Dark Night Start. However, and I do not say this in a...well...I hope this does not come out in an extremely negative way...I find it extremely disappointing that there is not the same attention paid to the Lefty Strats that were paid to the (as far as Fender is concerned anyway) normal Strats. I guess I'm just so old (in my mid-70's so I'm old and set in my ways) that I just "expect" the same QC on Lefty's as they give to all their other guitars. Obviously, I'm one of the few that actually "expect" them to do that. But I had to voice that "expectation."
The information you provided has been more than enlightening. I'm so old that, while I knew that being a Lefty comes with...I'm gonna go with "Challenges"...for the sake of being polite. To be a bit more blunt...I find it offensive you've had so many disappointments. The first Fender I played in 1962 was a Jaguar. While I appreciated the quality, I instinctively knew that was not the Fender for me. I also tried a Jazzmaster. (In all fairness, I also tried a Telecaster, but I was like "Oh Hell No!!!!" No offense intended to all the Tele faithful.) That's when I learned that the Fender for me was a Stratocaster.
In answer to your question if I can play either Right or Left!?!?!? No way. I can only play Right. Please keep in mind it was drilled into me from for longer than I can actually remember (while I do have glimpses of I'll go with flashbacks, of when I would try to do something and I would be..."Corrected"...and it was not always in a gentle manner) to "NOT" do things the way (Lefty) that came naturally for me. So...I have to say this. I honestly feel that playing "Right-Handed" was actually a benefit for me, simply because, my Left Hand has more dexterity than my right hand!!!! I hope that makes sense. My fingers just fell into place on the fretboard naturally. (Now when it comes to things like chopping wood or, in my younger self, hitting a baseball, or lifting things??? Anything that "really" counts??? I'm all LEFT!!!!) I honestly think when it comes to guitar??? Being Left-Oriented has been a benefit. That's just for me personally.
Nice review. The tone seemed better to my ears on the Squire. 🤷🏼♂️
I bought a Player series strat it was exactly the same as the one you have, Capri Orange with a maple fretboard.
Unfortunately the allen key bag was bizarrely inside the protective cover and was really scratched all over so I sent it back.
I was not very happy with the packaging to be honest.
I had an original series cv60's strat made in China. Guitar was stunning but I just found that the neck was too thin and uncomfortable. I upgraded to the player strat and the difference in the neck profile alone was worth it.
Nice comparison…I recently got a 2019 MIM Fender (not Player series) for $500 on Craigslist and am enjoying it. The MIM strats are another great option for players in this price range.
The player are MIM
@@1truechamp46 Right. Mine isn’t a Player series strat.
The classic vibe 60s has fender designed alnico 2 pickups the player has fender designed alnico v pickups. Imo both types of pickups are just as good just sound a bit different. I've owned both player and cv 60. I agree with the video and the differences pointed out.
There is a small detail: the classic vibe has a vertical string loading, while the player has a horizontal string loading. For me this is a fairly important aspect. So if I had to choose a guitar for myself (probably in my next life), I would still prefer the Player. ;)
So it goes!
I chose a new Indonesian Squier CV 50s over a Player, after testing both for a couple of hours. The fit and finish were equal, with the CV's fret job much better. Two years on, despite no gigs and only playing at home, the frets are fairly well worn. I suspect they're made from cheap wire. I agree about the rough feel when bending. A bit of metal polish put that right.
The CV bridge pickup is connected to the tone control. This is much better than the way Strats used to be wired, and makes the pickup more usable. I couldn't tell any difference in the tone between the two guitars.
I'm not keen on the two-point trem on the Player, as I think it detracts from the tone. That said, the CV did need a setup, which was difficult because it isn't as refined as it could be. Frustratingly, the spacing of the six screws is narrow, and there's not much choice of aftermarket trems at a reasonable price for this spacing. I've got used to the trem though, so it's not much of an issue. I wrap plumber's PTFE tape around the threads to reduce arm-wobble.
Another difference: screening (shielding). This was noticeably poorer on the CV, with consequently more hum, but it was very easy to line the cavity with aluminium foil and earth it with a wire wrapped around a small woodscrew. No more hum.
Weight: mine is unbelievably light, at 3.1kg, or about 7lb. I've never come across such a light Strat. For many years I owned a 1979 one that weighed well over 8lb. I suspect, though, that the wood used for the CV bodies is whatever they have on the day, and the next one off the production line may weigh more.
Is it good enough to gig? Absolutely. I have gigged many times with Squier guitars.
Would I buy it again? Yes, but if I was gigging regularly and needed a Strat, I'd skip the Player and test a US model, so the choice would be between spending £300 for the CV or £1k+ for a (hopefully) more professional instrument.
Your playing chops get better every week Shane. Blues On....💙
I just got the classic vibe. I’ve also got the Jimi Hendrix Mexican fender. The classic vibe is really nice.
For sure the Player. It just sounds better, especially the bridge. As usual, the Squier has that brittle piercing bridge. The 2 point trem is a plus.
My two main guitars are a CV 60s Strat and a Player Tele. Both have awesome necks, Player mostly has better hardware but surprisingly the tuners are more stable on the Squier. Overall I think the Player sounds a little better but the Squier is very close behind for quite a bit cheaper and playability is dead even. I prefer the Player bridge and electronics, Squier tuners, neck is pretty much equal although I think most people would appreciate the satin finish and extra fret on the Player series. Two great guitars and both good value for money imo even if prices have gone up recently.
hey man love the video! may I ask what apps do u use for editing the video?
Final Cut Pro on a 27" iMac.
Went to guitar center yesterday and the $850 player series (tele) had a shotty input jack while the $350 60’s classic vibe (tele) was in great shape.
Both sounded good. I actually liked the lacquer finish on the classic vibe. I left the store with regret of not getting it.
Shoddy
@@marcsullivan7987 thank you
@@flyguyty33 sorry. English teacher (and guitarist)
I have a Mexy tele from new. I was shocked by the poor quality. Had to have a fret replaced, had fret sprouting, had a new setup. I was expecting better. quality for the price. Think the maker had drunk too much Taquia on the weekend. I'm thinking of selling it, it doesn't feel good when I play. I got my CV today, it was almost in tune right out of the box, and the most comfortable and playable guitar I've ever played, and I have played many, we were made for each other you could say, fiesta red maple neck she looks stunning. So glad ai bought it. I look forward to many happy years together. I'm not a Fender snob if it feels right and a good tone,
Then I'm happy as Larry. Great demo.
I had both, in the end i sold the classic vibe. The Player sounds a bit better / warmer and the bridge is more high quality. Imho the price difference is justified, not only by the headstock decal!